Mount Etna, Europe's Largest Active Volcano, Erupts on Sicily

At around 7 p.m. on Monday night, Sicily's Mount Etna showed once again why it's Europe's most active volcano, erupting at the southeast crater and "throwing" jets of lava into the sky—visible from Catania, 31 miles away, through Tuesday morning. Though lava flows have in the past threatened the surrounding villages, there has been no immediate damage reported. Instead, bystanders took to the internet to document the natural phenomenon, with some even skiing on the volcano's slopes. Though Catania–Fontanarossa Airport has remained open without disruption, meteorologists have said that the ash spewed across the upper levels of the atmosphere could affect air quality and weather in the latter parts of the week.

Etna, which sits at 3,330 meters (10,926 feet), is also the highest volcano in mainland Europe, and typically erupts several times a year, according to Reuters. In fact, Etna has been active since January 23 of this year, reports Wired, with Strombolian explosions—ejections of cinder, ash, and smoke—indicating that magma is close to the surface. The volcano's last major eruption was in 1992 and threatened the town of Zafferana, but ultimately led to successful lava diversion efforts.

Along with 15 other volcanoes, Mount Etna has been designated a 'Decade Volcano' by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior. These volcanoes, which can be found from Washington (Mount Rainier) to Papua New Guinea (Ulawan), are studied closely due to their history of activity and proximity to human populations. According to USA Today, Mount Etna also has the "longest documented eruption history of any volcano in the world."